Jumping into the stream

Published 12:00 am, Friday, January 14, 2011

Kris Dybdahl could fill a lake with the hundreds of discs in his Blu-ray and DVD collection, and that doesn't even count his Netflix titles by mail. Then he dove into Netflix's streaming service, which shows movies and television programs over an Internet connection.

Now Dybdahl might buy the occasional big-screen Blu-ray release, but thanks to streaming he still enjoys plenty of entertainment without nearly as much strain on his wallet or storage space.

The $18 a month Dybdahl spends on Netflix is considerably less than the cost of the three Blu-ray titles he used to buy on average each week. And you can't beat the convenience of picking movies from home as opposed to running out to get them from the video aisle or Redbox kiosk.

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And streaming has come up more in his day job, too.

“Wireless TV and streaming content — there's interest there,” says Dybdahl, IT manager for Bjorn's Audio Video in San Antonio and the store owner's tech-savvy son. “Whenever I talk to people that is what they want to know about.”

Probably because streaming is on just about every new Blu-ray player, game console and HDTV you got or saw for the holidays. And while streaming isn't new, exhibitors at this month's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas revealed even more devices to rain down movies and TV programs from the cloud.

Yet many consumers still treat streaming TV like a blinking 12:00 on a VCR — they don't bother with it. In a recent USA Today report, research firm SNL Kagan estimates that while 16.5 million homes have a Web TV-enabled device only two percent use it to watch Hollywood TV shows and movies.

Are you one of those 98 percent who hasn't jumped into streaming? Here are the basic components you need or may already have, along with pointers from Dybdahl and other tech experts to help you go with this exciting digital flow.

HARDWARE

Many new HDTVs can connect online right out of the box, so if you have broadband Web access you should get streaming without an external streamer device. “Anything usually over about $1,500 will have it. The cheaper (HDTVs) will not,” says Ben Fisher, director of operations for AV Expert in Houston.

Not that you need HDTV to see and hear streaming goods. Dustin Gaedtke, co-owner of Hifi Install in Austin, says there's plenty of standard-definition content for streaming, be it video or music. He notes you can stream to a standard-def TV with a Net-connectable Blu-ray Disc player, which can be yours for as low as around $100.

“Even if you're not using a Blu-ray player for HD content now, having one for the future for the (low) price just makes more sense,” Gaedtke says.

If your TV isn't Net-connectable you'll need that stream-friendly Blu-ray player, though you can also stream content with a PlayStation 3, Wii, or Xbox 360. You can also use a dedicated media streamer like Apple TV or a Roku player, or even your own computer depending on its configuration.

HIGH-SPEED INTERNET CONNECTION

Streamed content flows best over a fast Internet connection, especially for special-effects bonanzas in high-definition.

Dybdahl suggests a connection with a download speed of at least 4.5 Mbps to 9 Mbps, which should handle 1080p high-def resolution without digital artifacts or buffering delays. Check your download speed at speedtest.net to determine if you need to upgrade your connection.

A wired Ethernet connection to your TV or streaming box is your best bet, Dybdahl says, but you can still get quality HD streaming via Wi-Fi. If you use Wi-Fi, Gaedtke says a wireless N router is best since it can handle multiple devices vying for bandwidth and covers a greater range in the house.

No N router? No problem. “Even a five-year-old router is going to be able to handle (streaming),” Fisher says.

CONTENT PROVIDER

Since you're just dipping your toe into streaming, so to speak, start with the accessible, easy-to-use Netflix. You get a one-month free trial for plenty of try-before-you-buy time, with rates that start at $7.99/month for unlimited TV episodes & movies.

Want more freebies to try? Vudu offers on-demand streaming of movies the same day as their DVD release and rents thousands of flicks at $2 for two nights, but if you activate a new account the first HD movie is free. There's also the completely free and completely eclectic oeuvre at Crackle.

Oh, and don't forget other streaming services that aren't quite TV-related, like Pandora for music and Flickr for photos.

Now that you know what you need and how to use it, jump on in. You should find the stream is just fine.

“Don't be afraid,” Dybdahl says. “It's something that will make your life easier.”